


What Keeps Us Alive

by isitmadness



Series: The War is Over [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Canon Divergence - Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-Order 66, canon? i don't know her, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:00:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25536979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isitmadness/pseuds/isitmadness
Summary: Obi-Wan, Cody, and the very few remnants of the 212th make their way back to Coruscant after Order 66. Beyond dealing with the emotional fallout, they need to find a way to locate the inhibitor chips and remove them before they're triggered again.
Relationships: CC-2224 | Cody/Obi-Wan Kenobi
Series: The War is Over [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1850395
Comments: 10
Kudos: 202





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for day 1 of ['Codywan Week 2020'](https://codywanweek.tumblr.com/) \- the theme for which was hurt/comfort.

It was a relief to be back on board the _Vigilance_ even if it was still in orbit above Utapau. The planet where everything felt like it was _finally_ starting to go right...and instead went horribly wrong. General Grievous had been defeated, after years of the chase. But the victory felt hollow, meaningless.

He ended up not only fighting Grievous, but Cody. Cody had tried to kill him, too, and if this truly was the entire Galactic Army of the Republic...if _all_ the clones had faithfully carried out Order 66 throughout the galaxy, the Jedi were... _gone_. Obi-Wan was desperate to get home to Coruscant but afraid of what he’d find there. 

His bond with Anakin was also gone - ripped from his mind like Qui-Gon’s once was. He couldn’t even comprehend the loss. How could his former padawan, friend, and brother have been taken from him, too? 

Grief was an attachment, he knew this... _and yet…_

 _Focus on the here and now._ He needed medical assistance. Cody definitely needed medical assistance, as did Boil and Longshot. The rest of the 212th Attack Battalion? Well, they were also gone. Another ache that sat like an anchor on Obi-Wan’s chest. 

After making the jump to hyperspace, Obi-Wan strode from the command center to the medbay, afraid of what he would find. He unclipped his lightsaber from his belt and held it in his hand, ready. He had no real intention of using it, no matter what he promised Cody, but…

\-----

In the medbay, Cody had stripped down to his blacks and sat on the edge of an exam table. His broken and dented armor was piled on the floor at his feet. The orange markings were a point of pride only a few hours ago: pride in his battalion, pride in their general, and if he was honest, a little pride in himself in what he had been able to accomplish. It was an honor to be sent on such an important mission. 

He rather felt like his armor, a broken mess of a man. Every bone and muscle in his body ached, outdone only by the throbbing thunderstorm raging in his head. His eyes followed the medic, Cross, as he worked his way between Boil and Longshot, tending to their worst injuries. 

Beyond the physical pain, the emotional and mental turmoil of losing so many of his brothers AND turning on his general was crushing. Not even to mention remembering that he hadn’t truly believed Fives about the inhibitor chips. Like everyone else, he accepted the report that he and Tup had succumbed to a virus picked up on Ringo Vinda. If he could go back and...no. He couldn’t change the past. 

“Cody?” All their heads snapped towards the door where their general hovered, unsure. He looked tired, worn, and unusually small. Cody’s attention was drawn from Obi-Wan’s face when he noticed the movement of his hand near his waist. He was clipping his lightsaber to his belt. _Good,_ Cody thought, _he at least came prepared._

“General,” Cross looked away from where he was splinting Boil's wrist and nodded. The other men followed suit. 

Obi-Wan cautiously walked in and stood in the middle of the room, assessing the situation. He took in the four remaining men's nearly-identical faces. "How are you all feeling? What’s the status on these...these inhibitor chips?”

Despite what he had just been through, Obi-Wan was back to _General Kenobi_. Something twisted in Cody’s gut. 

“Well, we’ve all had a scan from the medical droid,” Cross started. “And...they show nothing.”

That was unexpected and incredibly concerning. Obi-Wan stroked his beard, deep in thought. Cody smiled to himself at the gesture. “That is some unfortunate news. But how do you all _feel_?" 

“The inside of my head feels like there’s a herd of banthas stomping around,” Boil murmured in a gravelly voice. “Sir.”

Obi-Wan waved a hand through the air dismissively. “I think, Boil, that we don’t need to stand on ceremony. Call me Obi-Wan. I have a feeling I am no longer a general.”

Longshot scoffed and narrowed his eyes. “So, why do you trust us? How do you know we aren’t going to snap again any second and take you out? Which undoubtedly will be the last thing we do...”

Cody jumped off the table and came to stand next to Obi-Wan. “Longshot, that’s enough. We don’t need--”

“It’s quite alright, Commander,” Obi-Wan settled a hand on Cody’s shoulder, locking eyes with him. Cody flushed - sometimes Obi-Wan had such an intense way of looking at him, that Cody had to look away. “You seem like Longshot, Boil, Cross, and Cody, and that’s enough for me right now. How many times have you all been right beside me on the battlefield? How is this battle any different? And I...may be a Jedi, but I have _no plans whatsoever_ to hurt any of you,” Obi-Wan said sternly. 

He walked over to Boil’s bedside. “Are you in terrible pain, Boil?” 

Boil shrugged, removed his arm and squinted at his general, “I mean...it’s a pretty bad headache, but nothing I can’t handle, sir.”

Obi-Wan looked up and around at all the troopers. They all nodded, indicating they felt the same way. “What can we do, Cross? For all of you.” 

Cross shook his head slowly and exhaled. “I admit, I’m at a loss...I don’t know what to do. If I can't locate a chip on the scan, I don't know where to look...obviously. I can't just open up Longshot's head, for example, and dig around."

"He might deserve that though," Boil snarked. 

Obi-Wan smiled softly, appreciative that the men had kept their sense of humor. “Well, I think this is going to take more thought and research. But, in the meantime, the least I could do is try to give you all some measure of relief? That is, if you trust me to accomplish such a thing.”

“Sir, you don’t have to--” Cody started. 

“Don’t be ridiculous, Cody. I'm no healer, but I would do it gladly, especially if it would help you.”

“All of us?” Longshot questioned, quietly. 

Obi-Wan smiled gently. "Of course. So, who’s first?”

All four men hesitated and looked at each other. “Why not Cross? So he can go about his medic business for the rest of us without the pain?” Cody suggested. 

Obi-Wan nodded, “I think that’s an excellent idea, Commander.”

Cross sat down on the end of the exam bed where Boil lay. “Well then, do your worst, General.”

Obi-Wan spent time with Cross, Longshot, and Boil, giving them all the Force healing he could, hoping it would stick around long enough to help them feel somewhat better. Now that his head was throbbing less, Cross sat at his desk and continued his research since he was able to focus again. Longshot and Boil left the medbay to return to their own quarters for some much-needed rest. It was finally Cody’s turn.

Obi-Wan walked over and stood in front of where Cody had sat back down on the exam table. “General, I can tell when you’re drained...please do not worry about me. We have painkillers and that will help cut through the worst of it for now.”

He put a warm hand on the top of Cody’s left thigh and moved closer to stand between his knees. “Commander, I feel like it’s my duty to tell you when you’re being ridiculous,” Obi-Wan chuckled. “This is one of those times.”

With the general this close, Cody could finally see how worn, bruised, and tired Obi-Wan was himself. There were holes and tears all over his clothes, and he was pretty sure they were even still damp. He also could see that the bruise on his right cheek was darker now. And knowing that he was the one who put it there, hurt Cody more than he could say. He desperately wished to wrap his arms around his Jedi and pull him close. Instead, he laid a hand over Obi-Wan’s and just shook his head. _“Fine.”_

Obi-Wan lifted his hands to either side of Cody’s face, wanting nothing more than to pull his face close and kiss him, but well, Cross was still around and that wouldn’t exactly be a good idea. Somehow Cody knew what Obi-Wan was thinking anyway and gave him a small smile. It was Obi-Wan’s turn to flush. He cleared his throat. “Well, let’s see what I can do.” Obi-Wan adjusted his hands, rubbing his thumbs across Cody’s cheekbones, and closed his eyes to slowly sink into the Force one more time. 

With the Jedi's eyes closed, Cody took the opportunity to take in the face he loved so well. The bruise would fade in time, thankfully, but otherwise, he was still _his Obi-Wan._ Those crinkles at the corners of his eyes, the freckles that dusted his cheeks, that mole in the middle of this forehead, the grey in his beard and at both temples - they were all details that Cody had fallen in love with. But then beyond those features he loved, he noticed the twitching behind his eyelids, the furrowed brow, and even a drop of sweat that had suddenly formed at his hairline and was slowly rolling down his forehead. He was displaying signs of overtaxing himself and Cody wanted to stop him. 

Why was he giving of his life-force for someone who had _just tried to kill him?_

 _Because I love you._ His general’s lips didn’t move, but Cody heard the answer as clear as day. He sat up straighter wondering how it was possible.

Finally, Obi-Wan’s eyes slowly fluttered open, those stormy blue irises meeting warm, dark amber. “Well?” Obi-Wan’s warm smile nearly made Cody melt. 

Cody blinked a few times. “I...it’s so much better. Thank you, sir.”

“Obi-Wan,” he reminded him as he caressed his cheek with his thumb once more then dropped his hands. Cody reached out and grabbed Obi-Wan’s fingers to give them two quick squeezes - their code for ‘I love you.’ 

“You need some rest, Commander,” Obi-Wan said, finally backing out of Cody’s personal space. “Why not go join the men and sleep?”

“I must admit the offer is very tempting. But what about the ship?” He leaned forward slightly and put a hand on Obi-Wan’s waist. “What about you? Who’s going to make sure you get rest and medical attention?”

Obi-Wan smiled and raised an eyebrow. “Well, Cross is busy, but I’m sure I can beg him for some medical attention. And I can keep the ship flying, don’t worry about me. You need the rest. No arguments.” 

Cody slid off the table and stood, stretching. “It’s my job to worry about you.” 

Obi-Wan put his hand on Cody’s cheek and smiled, “I know.”

They walked out of the medbay together then separated in the hall. Obi-Wan watched Cody’s back as he slowly walked away, hoping that he would still be Cody when he saw him again.

\----

Cross patched up Obi-Wan the best he could then ordered him to go rest, too. And while he was deeply exhausted, and knew he could benefit from sleeping, he was unsure how he could knowing there were four clones on the ship who could snap at any time and try to kill him again. So instead, he stood at the viewport on the bridge looking out on the familiar rushing vortex of blue. They were approximately four days from Coruscant.

It seemed as if everything they had been told by the Kaminoans about the inhibitor chips was a lie. He no longer felt sure he knew anything about the chips or what had been done to the millions of clones during the cloning process. There was obviously a trigger, but he didn't know what it was. And could they be re-triggered? How did they malfunction in Cody, Boil, Cross, and Longshot? How would they locate them in their heads? Was there anything in Arc Trooper Fives' old file? If so, he hoped Cross was looking and would find it.

He tried to focus on the chip issue, but the reminder that they were heading back home only made his thoughts turn back to his people, to the temple and the younglings there, as well as his friends and family scattered throughout the galaxy. He searched his bond once again for Anakin but it was still silent. He worried, too, about Ahsoka, Rex, and the troopers they took to Mandalore. Did they capture Maul? But was she attacked by her men, too? 

He had to refocus his mind or lose himself to his grief completely. He sat down in one of the command center chairs and attempted to meditate. However, he found quickly that the Force was empty and in _mourning._ The amount of grief he felt, in addition to the darkness, was suddenly overwhelming.

His eyes flew open and he was panting and gasping for air. He looked around the empty command center expecting to see at least one trooper or officer. He realized, too, that the emptiness he was feeling was not only the rift in the Force, but in the _Vigilance_ itself. It was always bustling with life - he was used to feeling the bright Force signatures of every single one of his men. Now that was also gone. Even Cody, Longshot, Boil, and Cross felt dim and far away. It took every ounce of strength he had to not collapse on his knees. 

“General,” a voice suddenly rang behind him. Obi-Wan whipped around quickly, pulling his lightsaber off his belt and igniting it. 

Cross' hands flew up in defense, “Whoa! It’s just me...Cross!”

Obi-Wan turned off the blade once more and willed himself to calm his breathing. “I’m so sorry, Cross. I can’t...I’m…”

“General, I thought I told you to _rest_ ,” Cross said, walking closer, slowly dropping his hands. “I am wide awake and dedicated to this research, please go try to sleep. Doctor’s orders.” He smiled.

Obi-Wan’s shoulders sagged and nodded his assent. “I guess there’s no point in arguing with you, is there?”

Cross chuckled, “No, sir. I know what you just went through for the four of us, and honestly, it’s a bit astounding that you’re still upright after what you went through on Utapau.”

“I...know you’re right,” Obi-Wan agreed. “Because I am having problems meditating right now. Are you sure you’re okay here on your own?”

“Of course, sir,” Cross nodded. “I will wake you all should the need arise.”

Obi-Wan walked closer and put his hand on Cross' shoulder. “ _Obi-Wan_...please. You’re a good man, Cross. Thank you.”

“Then, Obi-Wan...after what you did for us? It’s truly the least I could do.”

Obi-Wan nodded and headed out of the command center. 

\----

Once in the common fresher, he stripped off his sweat and water-logged tunics and pants, and took a long shower. The warm water was soothing on his aching muscles. He finished and wrapped a towel around his waist to head back towards his quarters. It was a small comfort to finally feel clean. He wasn't worried that anyone would see him dressed so inappropriately - or not dressed, rather - there was no one else on board. 

As he rounded the corner, he noticed the door to his quarters was cracked and there was a light coming from inside. He didn’t remember turning one on, but perhaps he had and forgotten. Or else Cody had done it for him anticipating his returning and needing it. 

He stood at the door and opened it the rest of the way. The sight was not at all what he expected. Cody was tucked under the blankets, sprawled on his stomach and snoring lightly. The small breathing noises brought a warmth to Obi-Wan’s chest - Cody needed the sleep and Obi-Wan was grateful he was able to. 

Obi-Wan needed to get dressed but he hesitated, wondering what he should do beyond that. The thought of crawling into bed next to Cody was incredibly inviting. And on some level, Cody must have expected Obi-Wan to do this otherwise he wouldn’t have fallen asleep in his bed. 

Or maybe Cody expected Obi-Wan to stay awake and took his bed knowing he wouldn’t be using it. In which case, maybe he should leave him alone. 

Or maybe--

“I can hear you thinking,” a voice rough with sleep suddenly said. Obi-Wan hadn't even noticed the snoring had ceased. “Come to bed.” Cody rolled over to face Obi-Wan. "Oh."

Obi-Wan didn't miss the way Cody's eyes quickly raked over his body. He loved Cody the most when he looked like this - eyelids heavy with sleep and hair slightly mussed. And now there was a warm, almost seductive smile on his face. Yet he still hesitated, and that wasn’t lost on Cody. 

“Unless you don’t trust me?” He furrowed his brow and propped himself up on his elbow to get a better look at his general. 

Obi-Wan dried off and slipped on a pair of comfortable sleep pants. Cody had seen Obi-Wan like this many times. He appreciated Obi-Wan’s lithe form, toned by years of training and discipline. But he also knew all of his scars and old wounds and appreciated those, too. They spoke of someone unafraid. A general he himself was not afraid to follow because he knew he put his life on the line for his men, his Jedi family, and the Republic time and time again. 

Obi-Wan walked over to the bed and sat on the edge. A gentle hand rubbed his bare back. The touch pulled Obi-Wan out of his own reverie and he melted under Cody's hand. He finally looked over his shoulder, “I do trust you. I’m just...you can’t blame me for being slightly hesitant.” Cody looked down. “That hurts more than I can say.”

“I understand,” Cody sat up and made to get out of the bed, but a hand pushed against his shoulder. 

“You don’t have to leave...unless you just want to.”

“I don’t.”

“Then, stay.” Obi-Wan twisted slightly to watch Cody's face. 

Cody laid back down and lifted up the corner of the blanket for Obi-Wan to crawl in beside him, which he did. Cody was just as warm as Obi-Wan thought he’d be, and the skin-to-skin contact sent a pulse of electricity through his entire body. The familiar comfort was as overwhelming as the earlier grief.

Obi-Wan tucked his head under Cody’s chin as two strong arms wrapped around his torso. Cody sighed. “This feels normal and right.”

Obi-Wan pressed a kiss to the hollow of Cody’s throat. “How are you always so warm?” Cody chuckled and Obi-Wan felt the low rumble in his chest. 

Suddenly, Obi-Wan shifted and reached out towards the light to turn it off. Cody laughed again. “Don’t say it,” Obi-Wan warned with a smile. 

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Mhmm, sure,” Obi-Wan retorted. 

“Okay, lights are out, it’s time to sleep,” Cody said, sounding like he was halfway to drifting off already. Obi-Wan nodded against his chest. They laid there basking in each other’s comfort, both thinking about what they had been through only hours before but trying to avoid the conversation. Cody ran a hand up and down Obi-Wan’s back.

“What happens when we get to Coruscant?” He finally asked. Obi-Wan was silent so long, Cody thought he had already drifted to sleep. In truth, Obi-Wan was silent because he had no idea. This situation was unprecedented. “I don’t...I wouldn't blame you for turning us all over to the Coruscant Guard as soon as we land."

"That's never happening. Don't be ridiculous,” he murmured against his chest.

Cody pushed him away to look at him. In the cabin's dim light he could just barely make out Obi-Wan's face. It was set and determined. 

"But, sir, we attacked you. _I_ attacked you. I tried to _kill_ you."

"First of all, please do not call me sir while we're in bed." Cody huffed fondly. "And secondly, _you were not yourselves_. I cannot pretend to fully understand this situation and the destructive power in your head, but it wasn't _you_."

Cody pulled him close again, squeezing harder, wanting to never let go. "I'm so…sorry." The sob he had been desperately trying to hold in finally escaped. 

Obi-Wan reached up and ran a soothing hand over Cody’s face and shoulders. "Shhh, dear one. No apologies."

Obi-Wan could feel Cody shaking silently. Seeing the man cry twice in one day was breaking Obi-Wan’s heart. He shifted upwards and tucked Cody under his chin, wrapping his arms around him instead. This wasn't something either of them were going to come back from easily, but they would do it together.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A solution at last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Despite the canon divergence, you'll see I did pick some canon pieces and throw them into the mix.

Obi-Wan awoke slowly the next morning feeling physically and emotionally drained. Every joint ached, every muscle was tight. He felt every scratch, bruise and break from his fights with Grievous and Cody, then the subsequent fall from the upper levels of Pau City. But he was grateful it wasn’t worse. He remained on his back, staring at the grey ceiling of his quarters. He was still alive. 

Though wary at first, lying beside Cody and holding him once more was a balm to his soul. He realized how very close he had come to losing him, too. He didn't know what would happen to them now. He didn't know what to do when they returned to Coruscant… 

But he would try to appreciate the time he had with him until then. As long as he didn’t try to kill him again. He couldn't, _wouldn't_ , think of that. 

He groaned as he turned over and was surprised to find Cody still in the room. He hadn't even felt his presence there. He was sitting at Obi-Wan's desk in his blacks, a cup of caf in his hand and his head bowed over a datapad. It was rare that they were ever in the same room the next morning. There was a sudden tightness in Obi-Wan’s chest that he knew was unrelated to yesterday's battle.

Cody mostly felt like _his Cody_ , but below the surface, there was anxiety and a delicate and fragile calm emanating from the commander. Obi-Wan was hesitant to say anything for fear of breaking that calm. 

"Cody?" The commander turned to look at Obi-Wan.

"Good morning, Obi-Wan," he smiled softly. Cody could be stern, calculating and tough, but he had to be as marshal commander. That’s why Obi-Wan felt privileged that he got to see his softer side, whenever he was able to show it. That gentle look never failed to catch Obi-Wan’s breath in his throat. 

He sat up and ran light fingers through his hair in an attempt to tame any wild and unruly pieces. "What time is it?"

Cody stood and closed the distance between him and Obi-Wan in two steps. He gently plunged his fingers into the Jedi's thick sandy-ginger locks, smoothing down the worst of it. Obi-Wan closed his eyes, relishing the touch. 

"It's almost 8:30," Cody said, finally removing his hands and dropping them at his sides. Obi-Wan opened his eyes and grabbed his left hand and brought Cody's bruised and scarred knuckles to his lips. He watched as Obi-Wan kissed each of his fingers gently. That old familiar warmth began to pool in his gut. "Obi-Wan…" he said breathlessly. 

Obi-Wan looked up at him with hooded eyelids. "Yes?" He turned Cody’s arm over and kissed the inside of his wrist just where the sleeve of his black undersuit ended. 

"We--" Cody cursed under his breath when his comlink beeped. Obi-Wan smiled, squeezing his fingers. He raised his other wrist and turned on the communicator, "What??" Obi-Wan laughed at the frustration in Cody's voice. He leaned back on his hands. 

"Commander?" It was Cross. 

"Sorry, yes, Cody here," he sighed, scrubbing a hand down his face. Obi-Wan stood and ran a sympathetic hand down his bicep. 

"Uh, it's Cross," he stammered, not quite sure what mood he found his commander in. "There's something I think you should see, sir."

Oh. Cody and Obi-Wan exchanged a nervous glance. "Of course, Cross, I'll be there right away."

"Oh, and bring the general with you, would you?" Though he couldn't see him, Cody heard the smirk on Cross' face. 

"That little shi--"

"Cody," Obi-Wan said in a playful warning. Cody sighed and leaned in for a quick kiss which Obi-Wan returned gladly. 

"Let me get my armor on, then we'll go." Cody leaned down and picked up the various painted plastoid pieces he had scattered on the floor the night before, putting them on and locking them into place. Obi-Wan didn't get to see him dressing often, in fact, it was usually quite the opposite, so he was always enthralled by how quickly Cody's deft fingers created the suit of armor. 

Without looking up, Cody asked, "You gonna just stand there and stare at me or you gonna get dressed, too? I mean you're more than welcome to go looking like that, I won't complain." Cody finally looked up with a wicked grin. 

Obi-Wan looked down at his own state of undress. "Ah yes, I suppose I should do that, too."

"Yeah," Cody chuckled. "You should."

\----

Cody and Obi-Wan walked into the command center 10 minutes later to find Cross standing at the holo table, a large blue projection of a Kaminoan rose from the center.

"Ah, General, Commander, good morning." _Well, at least Cross is himself_ , Obi-Wan thought. "I trust you slept well?"

Cross kept a completely straight face, but there was a knowing glint in his eye. Cody stared at the medic and remained silent. Obi-Wan cleared his throat, "Yes, thank you, Cross. I hope you weren't up all night looking for this?"

Cross waved his hand dismissively, "I got a few hours, I'll be fine." Obi-Wan and Cody were both skeptical. "But anyway, I've been searching through records, looking for anything about the chips. And I think I've finally found what we need. This is Nala Se, Kamino’s Chief Medical Scientist."

Cody and Obi-Wan exchanged a brief glance with each other. "I remember a report from Kamino after the tragic incident with Fives. The Council reviewed it after the Chancellor sent it to us." Cross pressed play anyway. 

_An independent investigation confirmed that the clone trooper CT-5555 experienced a malfunction with his inhibitor chip. Both the Senate committee and the Jedi Council have accepted these findings. However, a grievance report was filed by CT-7567._

"CT-7567? Captain Rex?" Obi-Wan looked at Cody then Cross quizzically. "And what sort of grievance? I've never seen this report." It disturbed Cody that neither the marshal commander nor a high general had ever seen this grievance.

Cody hung his head and sighed. "I…I remember him telling me he was going to do this." He closed his eyes and sent a quick prayer to the Force that Rex was still alive, and that he hadn't made the same mistake as Cody. "I encouraged him to do so if he felt it was necessary, but I never saw the report. I guess I assumed he hadn't done it after all…" what must Rex have thought of him?

"Well, I found the file," Cross looked down and pressed some keys, but it was followed by a warning beep. "It's locked."

Obi-Wan stroked his beard. "Locked?"

"I tried every code of mine that I could think of, none of them worked. Surely General Kenobi or Commander Cody have one that works?" Cross looked at Obi-Wan with a hopeful expression. 

Obi-Wan and Cody both walked closer. Obi-Wan’s hands hovered over the keyboard as Cody looked over his shoulder. Obi-Wan turned his body slightly to try and enter his code discreetly, but Cody saw it anyway and smiled to himself. "Obi-Wan… you're joking."

A holo of the 501st captain appeared over the table. Obi-Wan looked over his shoulder innocently, "What?"

"That's your code?" Cody put his hands on his hips. 

Cross looked between the two, curious about whatever inside joke he was missing. "I feel like I'm missing something."

"It's nothing," Obi-Wan smiled. "Let's watch this recording, shall we?"

All three men turned back to Rex as Obi-Wan pressed play.

_I already know this report is gonna fall on deaf ears, but I owe it to Fives to record what I saw. I’m not sure I believe it myself, but there’s a possibility that the inhibitor chips the Kaminoans put inside of us have a purpose that we don’t yet fully understand._

The room was somber once more. 

"Oh, Rexy… how have I failed you?" Cody murmured and shook his head. Obi-Wan settled a comforting hand on the commander's shoulder. 

Cross finally spoke up. "So the official report was that a virus from Ringo Vinda caused Tup and Fives' chips to malfunction. And now we know that to be completely false."

"This was a planned conspiracy of the highest order." Obi-Wan was incredulous, hurt, and confused. "One that went all the way to the top and planned since your inception." The weight of what Obi-Wan was saying struck Cody square in the chest full-force. "This was all very carefully orchestrated for our complete destruction."

"At the hands of those you trusted implicitly," Cody finished. Anger bubbled in his chest. Whoever was responsible for this would pay. For Tup, for Fives, for every life lost because they weren't believed...because they were all manipulated. Cody clenched and unclenched his fists at his side. He slowly started to back away from the table. "I can't...be in here right now." Obi-Wan reached out as Cody turned and left the bridge. 

"He'll be okay...eventually," Cross said, trying to comfort Obi-Wan. 

"Will he? Will you?" Cross looked down, unable to meet his general’s gaze. They stood in silence staring up at Rex's face. Obi-Wan felt almost like he knew even less now. It was clear this was covered up and swept under the rug, and whoever was responsible did a fine and thorough job. Obi-Wan looked over at Cross who seemed to be dead on his feet. "Cross, why don't you go get some rest? You look like you're about to pass out," he said gently. 

Cross chuckled and shook his head gently, "You know, general, I think I will."

"Good man." Obi-Wan turned off the holo projector and watched Cross leave the command center, too.

He was alone again.  
\-----

_Death to the traitorous Jedi_. Longshot raised his blaster, keeping the back of the Jedi traitor’s head in his sights. He would not fail where his commander had. 

"Longshot? What the h--" Cody's question was interrupted by a firing of the blaster. Cody ran. 

"No!" Longshot yelled as Cody grabbed him from behind, putting him in a headlock with his left arm and wrenching the arm that held the blaster behind his back. Obi-Wan spun around, wide-eyed and grabbed his neck where the blaster fire grazed him. He reached for the lightsaber on his belt as Cody and Longshot struggled, but froze when he discovered it wasn't there. 

"Let it go, Longshot!" Cody growled as he squeezed the arm around Longshot's neck, tugging the trooper closer to his own body. He shook Longshot's right arm violently until the blaster fell to the ground with a thud. 

Obi-Wan reached out and used the Force to pull the blaster towards him. It slid across the floor, stopping at the toe of his boot.

Cody continued to struggle to subdue the trooper. Through gritted teeth, Longshot repeated every word of that hollow line, "good...soldiers...follow...orders." Cody tightened the arm around his neck one last time, cutting off the air flow until Longshot passed out. He gently laid him on the durasteel floor. 

Obi-Wan rushed over and knelt by Longshot. He placed two fingers on his neck searching for a pulse - alive. "Is he okay? What happened??"

"Is he..." Cody panted and huffed out of annoyance. "He just tried to kill you, sir!" 

Obi-Wan gave him a weary smile, "Well he didn't succeed, thanks to you. "

Cody hung his head and shook it. When he looked up again, Obi-Wan was staring at him curiously. Cody noticed the red, angry mark across the side of Obi-Wan's neck. He reached over and placed his hand on Obi-Wan's cheek. "He could have killed you, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan placed his hand over Cody's and leaned into the touch, "But he didn't. I'm still here. I'm still whole." Cody could feel tears threatening once more. "Let's get him to a holding cell, shall we? Before he tries it again. We must work faster on this chip problem."

Cody nodded, "We need to get you patched up first, then we'll deal with it." Cody looked down at Longshot's sleeping face. He seemed to be struggling, even in sleep. His eyes darted back and forth quickly behind his closed eyelids. Cody placed his arms under Longshot's shoulders in an attempt to lift him off the floor. "A little help here?"

Obi-Wan looked down at the two clones, "Ah, please allow me." Cody sat back on his heels and watched as Obi-Wan stretched out his hands, fingers splayed. Longshot rose gently off the floor and hovered a few feet off the ground. 

“I guess it beats carrying him,” Cody joked weakly. Obi-Wan gave him a sympathetic smile. 

\----

Obi-Wan gently laid Longshot on the cot in the holding cell, surprised but grateful that he had remained asleep. For once, Longshot looked small and peaceful. He felt a profound sense of sadness for what had been done to all of them. This life they were created for. 

He startled when he felt a hand squeeze his shoulder. "Obi-Wan, we need to get your wound cleaned up." He turned towards Cody and felt like he was almost seeing him for the first time. He had spent the last three years fighting and wishing the war had never even happened, but without it, he wouldn't have Cody. It’s not that he just wouldn't have the opportunity to _know_ Cody, he just _wouldn't even exist_. The thought took his breath away. 

"Are you okay? You have a bit of a faraway look going on." Cody searched his face, concerned. 

"I think will be," Obi-Wan said as they walked out of the holding cell. 

\----

In the medbay, Obi-Wan sat on an exam table while Cody gently cleaned the wound on his neck. He found himself thinking how easy it was to slip back into trust - trust of his men, trust in himself. He was disturbed that Longshot had snapped again. Especially seemingly without a trigger. That meant that any of them could try it again, even him. He'd need to separate himself from Obi-Wan from here on out. Especially at night when the Jedi was at his most vulnerable. 

What must Obi-Wan be thinking, knowing he was trapped on this ship with four potential murderers for three more days? If it weren't for the fact that Obi-Wan would be completely alone to fly the cruiser back to Coruscant, he'd suggest they all be put in the holding cells until they returned. 

Obi-Wan reached up to still Cody's hand. "I know what you're thinking."

Cody wrinkled his brow and continued the first aid. "You're not a mindreader, how could you possibly know."

"Call it a hunch then," he smiled. "I know you and--"

Cody raised a single finger, "You _thought_ you knew me. Turns out I don't even know myself." He put the bacta patch on Obi-Wan's neck and readjusted the collar of his tunic. 

Obi-Wan stood. "We're going to find out how to locate and remove these chips. I promise."

Cody looked down. “I haven’t forgotten your other promise, you know...on Utapau. I hope you haven’t forgotten it either.” 

“I will hear no more of this,” Obi-Wan said sternly as Cross walked in the medbay. 

He stopped abruptly, surprised to see the two men. "General, Commander, what are you doing here?"

Cody rubbed a hand over his short, dark hair. "Well, Longshot tried to kill Obi-Wan. Where have you been?"

Cross' jaw dropped. "I was, uh...I was--"

Obi-Wan put a hand on Cody's arm. "Cody, I told him to go rest."

That hard, steely glare was back in Cody's eyes which caused a chill to run through Obi-Wan. Was he, too, about to snap once more? "He should have been in here doi--"

"With all due respect, Commander," Cross said hotly, interrupting whatever rant Cody was about to go on. "I don't know what to do. This is beyond _anything_ I've ever dealt with. I can scan all of us again and hope to hell that the chips show up, but I'm not sure what you want me to do otherwise."

Cody clenched his hands once again.

"Okay, I think we all need to just remain calm, first of all,” Obi-Wan said. "And second of all, there's no harm in scanning you all again, is there? The worst that could happen is that it just wouldn’t show anything, yes? So, I think we should try. Our options are quite limited."

“Fine, I guess I’m volunteering then,” Cody threw his hands up, exasperatedly. Obi-Wan smiled to himself. 

“Thank you, Cody.” He put his hand on Cody’s back and led him to the imaging table. 

Cody laid down while Cross prepared the machine. Obi-Wan stood next to the table and watched. The situation continued to gnaw at his insides. He was having trouble finding peace. He was sure the troopers were feeling the same way, and he wished there was something he could do to put them at ease. They needed a _win._

“All right, Commander, are you ready?” Cross asked, putting a gentle hand on Cody’s forearm. He knew the commander was on edge - they all were. 

“Let’s do it.” Cody closed his eyes. Obi-Wan and Cross stepped back as Cody’s upper half disappeared into the scanner. Cross watched the screen as it blinked to life, showing Cody’s cranium. His face fell and his shoulders slumped when the image of his brain looked exactly as it had yesterday. Absolutely no indication of a chip. 

Inside the machine, Cody screwed his eyes shut tighter and focused on the chip. He knew it was ridiculous, but he desperately wanted to believe that if he focused hard enough, it would show on the scan. He’d laugh at himself if it weren’t for the need to remain still. And though he wasn’t a Jedi, he believed in the Force. He believed what Obi-Wan and the Jedi believed, that it flowed through all living beings, binding them together. So he prayed to the Force, hoping it would come through for him this time, too. 

Obi-Wan, for his part, hoped for this as well.  
“General!” Cross suddenly shouted. Cody flinched and Obi-Wan ran around to the other side of the table. The image of Cody’s head flickered and a large red spot appeared in the right frontal lobe. “There it is!”

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, the spot disappeared, but they had both seen it. It was the confirmation they needed. Cross looked over at Obi-Wan, his eyes were glistening, but he seemed to be holding himself together. He put his arm around his shoulders and pulled his general in for a quick, tight hug. Obi-Wan exhaled and patted Cross on the back. 

“Is someone going to tell me what the hell is going on?” Cody suddenly said from inside the machine. Cross chuckled and pushed the button to bring Cody back out of the scanner. Once out, he sat up and looked at the two men. 

Obi-Wan grabbed his hand, not caring this time that Cross was around. He already seemed to know what was between them anyway. “We saw it. Cody, we found it!” It seemed Cody also didn’t care that Cross was there since he pulled Obi-Wan forward into a tight hug then kissed his cheek. 

“So, if you two are done celebrating here,” Cross said with a smirk, “then maybe we can finally get that thing out of your head. Out of everyone’s head. Get some peace.”

Cody exhaled, “ _Kriff,_ yes.”

\----

It took the better part of an hour, but Cody, Cross, and Boil all had their chips finally removed. Their headaches were gone and their anxiety over potentially killing their general had subsided. 

“I feel like I could sleep for days,” Boil said scratching at his head lightly, careful not to upset the bandage. 

“You certainly have my permission to do so,” Obi-Wan laughed. “Not that you need my permission…”

“Now, what about Longshot?” Cody asked. 

“If he’s still...compromised, sedation will have to be our only hope,” Cross said. He rummaged through the supply drawers looking for the strongest sedatives they had. “I will ask his forgiveness later.”

\----

All four men walked to the holding cell, believing in strength in numbers. Cody had insisted that Obi-Wan stay out of sight in case his presence triggered something in Longshot, but Obi-Wan was stubborn. As the only Force-user, he wanted to be on-hand just in case Longshot managed to overpower the others. His lightsaber still remained in his quarters. 

When they got to the cell door, Cody and Boil raised their blasters at the ready. “Surely you don’t think this is necessary?” Obi-Wan asked worriedly. 

“I don’t think it’s wise to be unprepared, sir,” Boil answered. 

“It’s not...ideal, certainly,” Cody added. “But we can’t take any chances.” 

The door slid open and Longshot shot up off the cot.

They held their blasters at the ready, and Longshot raised his hands in surrender. “What is this shit?” Obi-Wan walked in last and stuck his head out from behind Cross. “ _Kill the Jedi!_ ” Longshot yelled as he leapt at Cross who plunged the hypodermic needle with the sedative into Longshot’s neck in the scuffle. The force of Longshot’s jump pushed Cross back into Obi-Wan who reached out with the Force to keep them both from hitting the ground. 

Cody and Boil turned to face them and put their blasters down when Longshot slumped heavily into Cross’ arms. “ _Thank the Force_ ,” Boil sighed. 

“Let’s get him onto the stretcher and back to the medbay, quickly,” Cross said struggling under the weight. 

\----

Once Longshot’s extraction was finished, all four clone troopers disappeared, presumably back to their beds and quarters. They all deserved to rest as much as possible in the remaining time it took to get to Coruscant. Obi-Wan found himself wandering to the bridge once more, desperate to reach anyone. He tried hailing Coruscant, but was only met with a message to retreat to the temple, ' _the war is over_.’ His heart sank. 

Trying once again to find someone, anyone, Obi-Wan sent out another message on his comlink. “Emergency Code 913, I have no contact on any frequency. Are there any Jedi out there?... anywhere…”

A fuzzy blue hologram of Senator Bail Organa appeared. It was mostly static, but Obi-Wan could at least make out his own last name. “I’ve locked on, repeat!”

The image of Bail became clearer, “Master Kenobi??” He sounded relieved. Obi-Wan’s heart beat wildly, grateful he found someone. 

“Senator Organa! My troopers turned on me on Utapau, it’s a long, long story, but by some miracle, I escaped with four of them,” Obi-Wan was desperate to tell Bail everything, but he felt the need to be brief. He would hopefully get the chance to tell him later. 

“It appears this ambush has happened everywhere,” Bail said. That was the final confirmation that Obi-Wan didn’t want. “And we have just rescued Master Yoda. We're sending you our coordinates.” Obi-Wan breathed another sigh of relief. Master Yoda was _alive_. It was something. 

Obi-Wan took the cruiser out of hyperspace and set the new coordinates Bail had given him. He would tell the men when they woke up. They would be to Bail and Yoda in less than a day. It still felt too long, but it was closer than Coruscant. 

\----

Cody and Obi-Wan laid side-by-side in Obi-Wan’s bed again. Darkness surrounded them. Both knew the other wasn’t asleep, but they pretended anyway. Cody finally broke the silence. “Would you have done it?”

Obi-Wan’s first instinct was to ask ‘done what?’ but he already knew. “No.”

Cody turned on his side to face him, “Even though you promised?”

“Even though I promised,” Obi-Wan sighed. He remained on his back, staring at the ceiling. He could barely see Cody in the dark, but he didn’t want to look at him and see disappointment anyway. 

“Look at me.” Cody reached over and gently grabbed Obi-Wan’s chin to turn his head. “You’re not one to break your promises.”

Obi-Wan blinked and Cody let go of his chin. “Well, I certainly have tried. But...I’m fallible, and sometimes I break promises.” He sat up, propping himself up on his elbow. He placed the palm of his other hand on Cody’s chest right over his heart. His skin was surprisingly cool, but he found the solace he was looking for in the steady rhythm in his commander’s chest. He was alive - they both were. 

Cody picked up his hand, brought it to his lips, and pressed a tender kiss to Obi-Wan’s palm. “You are stubborn and see the good in people, even when they don’t deserve it.”

Obi-Wan laid back down and put his head on Cody’s shoulder. “If you’re referring to yourself, you do deserve it, and you always have...you always will. You’re a good man, Cody.” He paused for a beat then chuckled. “But I am stubborn, that is true. Then again, so are you.”

“We kind of had to be, didn’t we?” Cody pressed another kiss to Obi-Wan’s head. 

“I think it’s what keeps us alive.” 

The Force was so murky and shrouded in dark that Obi-Wan could barely see the immediate future, let alone any further. But he would continue to be stubborn if it meant the difference between life or death for those he cared about, and for himself, too.

**Author's Note:**

> I've tagged it as 'canon divergence,' but you'll see later that some things were still borrowed from _Revenge of the Sith._ I'm sure I've messed up the timeline of that movie, but this is fanfic, so it doesn't matter (much). :) My basic idea is everything happens as it does in the film after this.


End file.
